My Lords, these instruments will, if approved by Parliament and made, provide for the abolition of the nine existing local government areas in Dorset and their councils—the existing boroughs of Bournemouth and Poole, the county of Dorset and the boroughs and districts in the county of Dorset—and the establishment of...

My Lords, these instruments will, if approved by Parliament and made, provide for the abolition of the nine existing local government areas in Dorset and their councils—the existing boroughs of Bournemouth and Poole, the county of Dorset and the boroughs and districts in the county of Dorset—and the establishment of...

In speaking to these instruments, I declare an interest as a vice-president of the Local Government Association. However, I have another interest in that, from 1993 to 1997, I was the Member of Parliament for Christchurch. I had lived in the area for a long time. I had been to...

In speaking to these instruments, I declare an interest as a vice-president of the Local Government Association. However, I have another interest in that, from 1993 to 1997, I was the Member of Parliament for Christchurch. I had lived in the area for a long time. I had been to...

My Lords, I declare an interest as a vice-president of the Local Government Association.

The order and regulations before the House bring into effect proposals to create two new unitary authorities covering Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole. Generally, I am in favour of the establishment of unitary local government in England. I...

My Lords, I declare an interest as a vice-president of the Local Government Association.

The order and regulations before the House bring into effect proposals to create two new unitary authorities covering Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole. Generally, I am in favour of the establishment of unitary local government in England. I...

I am grateful to all noble Lords who have spoken in this debate. I commend the persistence of my former colleague Sir Christopher Chope in garnering support from unlikely quarters to continue his campaign against this merger. I recognise the locus in the area of the noble Baroness, Lady Maddock....

I am grateful to all noble Lords who have spoken in this debate. I commend the persistence of my former colleague Sir Christopher Chope in garnering support from unlikely quarters to continue his campaign against this merger. I recognise the locus in the area of the noble Baroness, Lady Maddock....

That was a very helpful explanation and I thank the Minister, but will he explain a bit further why it is that if you merge two or three district councils, one council can object and veto it, whereas when you have a bigger reorganisation involving the unitarisation of a county,...

That was a very helpful explanation and I thank the Minister, but will he explain a bit further why it is that if you merge two or three district councils, one council can object and veto it, whereas when you have a bigger reorganisation involving the unitarisation of a county,...

We made it quite clear that where an area wants to move from where it is now to tier 2 unitary, we want to look at the proposal as a whole, and we do not believe it is right for any one component to have a veto. That is different...

We made it quite clear that where an area wants to move from where it is now to tier 2 unitary, we want to look at the proposal as a whole, and we do not believe it is right for any one component to have a veto. That is different...

I appreciate that, and I thank the noble Lord for it. I am not convinced, but I will leave it there. All I will say is that, as I have said many times before, I think that the local government reorganisation in England is confused, and I respectfully suggest that...

I appreciate that, and I thank the noble Lord for it. I am not convinced, but I will leave it there. All I will say is that, as I have said many times before, I think that the local government reorganisation in England is confused, and I respectfully suggest that...

Does the noble Lord have any comment on the idea that one way out of this would have been to allow Christchurch to look at going into Hampshire? The Government were less than helpful when Christchurch wanted to do that.

Does the noble Lord have any comment on the idea that one way out of this would have been to allow Christchurch to look at going into Hampshire? The Government were less than helpful when Christchurch wanted to do that.

That would have involved a much wider proposal. Basically, what we are interested in are locally led proposals. I am not aware that Hampshire or the other authorities were party to that proposition, whereas the proposition before the House this afternoon is supported by the area as a whole, with...

That would have involved a much wider proposal. Basically, what we are interested in are locally led proposals. I am not aware that Hampshire or the other authorities were party to that proposition, whereas the proposition before the House this afternoon is supported by the area as a whole, with...

Lords motions to approve. Agreed to on question.

Lords motions to approve. Agreed to on question.

Motions to consider. Agreed to on question.

Motions to consider. Agreed to on question.

Local government reorganisation (LGR) in Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole. I. Equality Impact Needs Assessment. II. Letters and emails to Sajid Javid MP responding to the Dorset proposal [redacted]. (15 docs.)

Local government reorganisation (LGR) in Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole. I. Equality Impact Needs Assessment. II. Letters and emails to Sajid Javid MP responding to the Dorset proposal [redacted]. (15 docs.)

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Sajid Javid) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

On 7 November I told the House that I was minded to implement, subject to Parliamentary approval, the locally-led proposal I had received for improving local government...

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Sajid Javid) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

On 7 November I told the House that I was minded to implement, subject to Parliamentary approval, the locally-led proposal I had received for improving local government...

List of material and representations received by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in reference to a) the proposal for unitarisation in Dorset and b) the proposal by the Suffolk councils, prior to the Secretary of State’s Written Parliamentary Statement of 7 November 2017. 6p.

List of material and representations received by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in reference to a) the proposal for unitarisation in Dorset and b) the proposal by the Suffolk councils, prior to the Secretary of State’s Written Parliamentary Statement of 7 November 2017. 6p.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Sajid Javid), has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Local government in Dorset

I am announcing today that, having carefully considered all the material and representations I have received, I am ‘minded to’ implement the locally-led proposal for...

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Sajid Javid), has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Local government in Dorset

I am announcing today that, having carefully considered all the material and representations I have received, I am ‘minded to’ implement the locally-led proposal for...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will permit Poole Unitary Authority and Bournemouth Unitary Authority to merge voluntarily to form a new authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will permit Poole Unitary Authority and Bournemouth Unitary Authority to merge voluntarily to form a new authority.

On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the BFI inspection reports on the following councils were published today: Borough of Poole Council, Rugby Borough Council, Cannock Chase District Council, Hastings Borough Council, Waverley Borough Council, Cardiff County Council, Mendip District Council, Fenland...

On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the BFI inspection reports on the following councils were published today: Borough of Poole Council, Rugby Borough Council, Cannock Chase District Council, Hastings Borough Council, Waverley Borough Council, Cardiff County Council, Mendip District Council, Fenland...

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (James Plaskitt) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. On behalf of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the BFI inspection reports on the following councils were published today: Borough of Poole...

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (James Plaskitt) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. On behalf of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the BFI inspection reports on the following councils were published today: Borough of Poole...